The War Chief of the Six Nations eBook

While the battle was at its height, rolling clouds
had gathered and a drenching storm checked the combatants
in their work of slaughter. The colonials were
still fighting desperately, but for them the day was
lost. After the few moments’ interval they
re-formed their scattered ranks and resolutely faced
the foe. No sooner, however, had the struggle
again commenced than the noise of cannon came reverberating
upon the moist air. The appointed messengers
had arrived at Fort Stanwix, many hours late, and
the signal had been given. Deceived by the cannonading
and fearing that St Leger might be in distress, the
loyalists rapidly drew off with their Indian allies,
leaving their opponents on the crimson field.
But so exhausted were the colonials by the fierce
fighting they had experienced that they could not
follow after the retreating army and were forced to
move dejectedly down the Mohawk valley. Four
hundred of their men had fallen in the battle, dead
or wounded, nearly half the number that had entered
the swampy ravine. On a litter of green boughs
General Herkimer was carried to his stone house on
the river, where, a few weeks after the cruel fight,
he died with the same fortitude that he had shown when
under fire.

The laurels for this victory at Oriskany rested with
Captain Brant. He had commanded the greater part
of the loyalist forces and his plan had placed the
enemy at their mercy. Thanks to this success,
the colonials had received a stunning blow, and Colonel
St Leger’s army was possibly saved from an utter
rout. But the Indians had paid a heavy price
for their victory; many of their chiefs and warriors
lay dead upon the field.

The siege of Fort Stanwix was kept up until August
22. By this time St Leger had reached a point
one hundred and fifty yards from its outer wall.
During the interval the word of Herkimer’s defeat
had brought General Arnold with a strong body of militiamen
to the rescue. While still some distance away
this commander thought that he might create a false
alarm in the English camp. A half-witted fellow,
who went by the name of Hon-Yost Schuyler, had been
captured and was in Arnold’s camp. He was
freed on condition that he should go to the English
camp and give an exaggerated account of the new force
which was coming to the relief of Fort Stanwix.
When he reached the camp Schuyler went first among
the Indians, showing a coat riddled with bullets,
and told of the host that was on its way. When
asked how many there were, he pointed to the fluttering
leaves above his head. The redskins always had
a superstitious awe of this stupid fellow and now
they were terror-stricken by his words and antics.
Panic seized the besiegers. Perhaps Brant tried
to quell the disorder, but, if he did, his efforts
were in vain. St Leger himself seemed to share
in the panic, for he beat a hasty retreat, following
the road leading to Oswego. But the War Chief
of the Six Nations—­it is pleasant to relate—­did
not retreat with him. While St Leger journeyed
to the north, Brant had called together a band of
his willing followers. Then he took one of those
flying marches which made him famous in border warfare.
Crossing the territory of the enemy with great skill
and daring, he hurried eastward, and in a short time
he was in the camp of General Burgoyne on the banks
of the Hudson.